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The Elven Domain
"Never again will we allow the mistakes of our past to be repeated. This we swear." - Domain pledge of allegiance. History The Elven Domain was formed by the surviving Elves following the end of the Long Night. It can trace it's ancestry back to the Ancient Elves of the Augury and, in particular, Eòlas. Although much of the lands were lost when the Elves retreated to the cities that were as-yet unravaged by war, the Elven Domain managed to retain a great deal of power. When the at-the-time newly-formed Royaume sought to use the abandoned magitek to further their takeover of the abandoned lands at the start of the Dawn Era, the Domain fought a war and forced them to sign the Elven Accords- outlawing the use of Magitek and Soul Magic as a whole. Although the Elven birthrate has dropped astonishingly low, some believe due to the after effects of soul magic radiation, the Domain is still a major player politically. in 1744, the Elven Domain entered a war with the Commonwealth. Known as the seven month war, this was the first time a human force ever defeated an Elven army, and marked a major point of shame for the Domain going onward. Politics In the land of the Elves, age is king and precedent is god. Each Elven family typically keeps to itself. Politically, the families that have held power will continue to hold power as long as their bloodline does not dilute, such as through having half-elven progeny. Each city is comprised of individual family spires, each spire's oldest resident is considered to be the Councillor who dictates matters in that spire. Each city has a council, made of these councillors, and the oldest of these councillors is, in turn, a member of the Grand Council. An Elven Council is a mostly-democratic group, but typically they adhere to the old laws in all matters, deciding whether something holds to or opposes those laws before passing judgement on what the actions of their city or the Domain as a whole should be. Negotiations with Elves can be difficult, as typically Elves believe that they, as one of the longest-lived natural species, hold the absolute moral and wise authority in all matters. Military The Elves are protected by The Guardians, a military power that serves as both armed forces and law enforcement. Most of The Guardians are Rangers, learning the ways of moving through the forests of their home and attacking from positions of stealth and advantage. Some are Arcane warriors, fighting with blade, bow, and magic alike. The Guardians shun the acts of Barbarism as uncouth and un-Elven. They also take pride in weaving spellwork with their swordplay and archery. Each Guardian is autonomous, living their own life independently from their duties as a Guardian, but must intercede upon finding lawbreakers or being called to action by another Guardian. As such, Guardians are taught the Message cantrip to best aid in their duties. The Law and Criminality The ultimate decision of crime is typically left up to the Guardian who discovers it. Should the plaintiff be a non-citizen or a non-Elf, they do not have the right to a trial as the verdict of the Elven Guardian is seen as the fair ruling, however a citizen or Elf found guilty of a crime will be brought before the local Councillor, who will decide on a fitting punishment for them, to be carried out immediately. There are no prisons, Elven punishments instead consist of harsh physical punishment such as branding and banishment. Execution is permissable and frequently done on the spot once that verdict has been passed- no chance for appeal. If the guilty is an Elven citizen they are more likely to have their memory altered or wiped completely rather than be executed, losing all the privileges of their age and set to work- often given the tasks of a Guardian. Technology The Domain shuns technology as a whole, prefering to focus on Magic. They view the rise of technology as a bitter insult to those who died due to the Magitek of the Augury during the Long Night, and refuse to repeat the mistakes of the past by allowing themselves or anyone else acquire too much- as if even the wise Elves failed to control technology, what would a human or dwarf be able to do? Many types of technology, such as Gunpowder, are outright banned and can lead to a death sentence on the spot. Augury Airships were taken when the Domain was formed, and although the magitek was originally planned for destruction, the devices proved too useful- in a somewhat hypocritical move, the air fleet was allowed to remain in place to protect the citizens of the Domain from flying threats, such as Dragons. Geography The lands the Elves take are lush, fertile, full of forests and are as close as possible to resembling the Fey Wilds as they can on this plane. Large cliffs surround the water-borders, but the few beaches there are tend to have beautiful golden sands. Society Elven society is staked on knowledge and experience, age is considered the ultimate authority In the beautiful cities with their tall spires, Elves live peaceful lives learning the arts of their ancestors and working towards the betterment of all Elven kind without losing sight of the tragedies of the past. Each huge Elven spire stands on a strut-like base and is home to one sprawling family- like a village made of relatives, complete with shops on the publically-accessible ground floor, which is often ornately carved and grown with lush trees, open on all sides to the wilderness. Elves venture out of their home to socialize and trade with other elven families. The ground floor of a Spire may have a Visitor's hall, complete with small private baths, for guests and paying customers to stay at, and these are typically lavishly decorated to show off the wealth and power of the family. Food and Drink The Elven diet is comprised mostly of food that grows naturally, without the need for major agriculture- fruits and vegetables that grow naturally in the wild, and supplemented with the occasional hunted animal for meat. Clothing Elven clothing is ornate, made of silks, and often includes carved armor of magically-strengthened woods. Metal for jewelry is looked down upon, so individuality and nobility is expressed by how fine the embroidery and craft on the outfits are. As both men and women wear long almost dress-like robes often, the only major difference between the average outfit of either gender is that men typically wear more armor and carry a weapon at all times. Marriage and Family Marriage is a polyamorous institution for both partners, and often partners will just naturally drift apart without the formalization of a divorce. It can be quite odd for outsiders to talk to someone about their wife only to discover they haven't seen each other for five centuries. Family is important, children must learn all that their parents learn, and so the purity of Elven bloodlines is held in high regard- as they believe a Half Elf will not live long enough to learn everything their ancestors knew and then add more knowledge for their own children. Popularity There is no Popular Culture among the Elves, as that would require a consensus between families- each family typically believes it is the most rationale and wise, in a first-among-equals way. Education In the Domain, you are educated by your parents in their ways, and their ancestors ways. You learn the trades of your ancestors, and then set forth on which one you personally feel appeals to your soul. Elves are highly literate, and great at passing on a great deal of knowledge. Medicine Healing is kept within the family, each family has their own recipe for potions of curing and healing. It is seen as a mark of shame for a family to have to seek the help of an outsider- either a failing of their ancestors to pass on their knowledge, or a failing of themselves to learn it. As such most families will normally have a devoted Cleric who may, with disdain and slight smugness, offer their services to outsiders on their family's greeting floor. Species and Religion Elves are the sole species considered acceptable as members of the Domain, with half-elves begrudgingly accepted. Elves pray to nature gods and goddesses, and shun deities they consider to be non-elven such as Bahamut or Kurise. Death in the Domain Death in the Elven Domain is treated very solemnly. The body of the deceased is taken, after being prepared for presentation, to the base of their family tree. While the song of their family is sung, they are buried deep among the roots to nurture it. Touching the body directly is strictly forbidden, as it is seen as disturbing that which is no longer of the mortal realm, so the body is commonly moved via silken sheets that will be wrapped around it for it's coffin. Mourning after this will usually last for a week, and the relatives of the deceased will not leave their home in this time, food and drink are brought to them by the other non-related mourners, such as the person's in-laws or friends. Bathing and Utilities Bathing is a family activity, each Elven spire has a devoted bathhouse. To be welcomed into the bathhouse of an Elven family is akin to being admitted as kin, even married spouses must return to their own family homes to bathe. Toilet facilities are magical in nature, cleaning and releasing the product into the ground as fertilizer through arcane methods. Taboos Drinking and drug use are considered heavily disgusting activities, and greatly despised. To adle ones mind willingly is considered almost a sin of it's own, and to do it to another is seen as an unforgivable betrayal by many. Elves consider their own form to be one of artistic beauty, and have few problems with showing it to other Elves, however other species are seen as having disgusting physical forms, and are unworthy to look upon the splendor of an Elf. Half-Elves accepted into families are often blindfolded in areas such as a bathhouse, if they aren't forced to wait until it's empty to bathe. Being unable to use magic is looked upon with pity and scorn, and subject to mockery. An Elf who cannot conjure magic is frequently hidden away or banished from their own family. such Elves are often forced to either leave the Domain or serve as diplomats or traders to other cultures where inability to use magic is common. An Elf of the Domain may carry the shame of their lack of magical potential to their grave. Category:Factions Category:The Elven Domain Category:Societies Category:Elves